If you’ve ever landed your business in the media, you know how exciting it is to see your name and face published to the masses. Sure, snagging press coverage is awesome, but actually getting a journalist’s attention or trying to figure out a newsworthy angle can be really tough. So if you’ve been in business for a minute and need some inspiration to get your brand in the headlines, have we got news for you! Here are some of our favorite ideas:

Publish Interesting Research

What can you say about your industry that people care about? Are you able to survey your customers to get their thoughts on a topic that interests a wide audience? Do you see a trend emerging that can position your business as a thought leader? Tools such as SurveyMonkey and Google Forms can make getting information from your client base a breeze and valuable insights from your staff and partners can help you to create a report that may pique the interest of your local media. Recently we built a survey for one of our clients which included nearly 50 questions to help us better understand how skin care plays a role in their customer’s lives. The results not only gave us tons of talking points for the beauty media, it also uncovered some serious insights which helped us to better understand their client’s needs and how we can service them.

Get Involved in A Worthy Cause

The best businesses give back to the community and make a concerted effort to help others in need. Get your entire company involved in a strategic partnership with a charity that represents the same values and speaks to the same audiences that you do. If you own a salon, partner with a local women’s shelter or Dress for Success chapter for a “Beauty Empowerment Day”. If you’re a landscaper, rally the community to help clean up a local park. The media is always looking for local, feel-good stories that offer a welcome distraction from the tit-for-tat headlines plaguing our national news.

Kick Off A Competition

Everyone loves a contest, but few are created with the media in mind. Instead of the typical “enter to win a free XXX”, think about how you can use a giveaway to boost your business and make headlines. Recently we devised a photo competition called “The Dirtiest Roof Contest” to help a local contractor generate leads and differentiate himself from his competitors. The contest not only provides some great visuals, it also helped him to develop a platform that’s near and dear to his heart - the epidemic of mold growth that he sees in approximately 75 percent of the homes that he visits. From those images, we are now able to pitch a story to the news to raise awareness about how mold in the home can affect people’s health without them even knowing it.

Comment on Popular, Relevant Trends

The local media love using experts in the area to comment on topics that are dominating big news headlines. Are you a financial advisor who sees a local trend emerging from the Federal Reserve’s most recent monthly data release? Are you a healthcare expert seeing firsthand how the Affordable Healthcare Act repeal conversations in Washington are affecting your client’s confidence? Are you a contractor who can speak to trends in solar energy in your area? Regardless of what industry you are in, there will be opportunities for you to give your expert opinion on matters that are making headlines. Just make sure that the local media know to contact you for comment.

Have a Party!

Events are a dime a dozen, but creating one with a bit of flair can help you land your business in the news. Do you own a yoga studio? Clear out the parking lot and create your city’s biggest “Om Fest” with record breaking attendance. Are you a wedding planner? Partner with all the wedding related vendors in your town to create a special showcase for soon-to-be brides and grooms. Are you an architect? Plan a city tour to show residents the exciting historical and architectural highlights that they never knew existed. Remember, the local news is all about reporting on interesting activities that people can get involved in, so keep your event wide-reaching and don’t forget to invite the local newspaper or TV station along for some fun.

Have you had luck getting your business in the local media? What are you favorite tips and ideas to get attention in the news? I’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on Facebook or get in touch right here.